


Episode 1: "Hear My Voice"

by gaypetersimmonds, spellwatch642



Series: The Valid Project: Season 1 [1]
Category: Original Work, bare: A Pop Opera - Hartmere/Intrabartolo
Genre: Canon Autistic Character, Canon Bisexual Character, Canon Character of Color, Canon Gay Character, Canon Lesbian Character, Canon Non-Binary Character, Canon Trans Character, Gen, It's a fun time, Screenplay/Script Format, also this is what skam brighton was based on, for you skambr stans out there, hewwo sisters we spent a year on this, penis jokes :) hehe, please validate us, warning: british people
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-14
Updated: 2019-04-14
Packaged: 2020-01-13 06:10:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,419
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18463085
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gaypetersimmonds/pseuds/gaypetersimmonds, https://archiveofourown.org/users/spellwatch642/pseuds/spellwatch642
Summary: Since last year's disastrous production of Cats, the drama program at Shoreditch Secondary School has been shit. But this year, new teacher Mx Stenberg is going to try and make a statement by directing a Year 11 production of bare: A Pop Opera.The majority of students of Shoreditch really don't care about the show, but the drama kids are more excited than anything. The few students who end up auditioning aren't exactly the most popular at the school, and they don't all like each other, but that's not going to stop them. The show must go on, even if it means risking everything.





	Episode 1: "Hear My Voice"

**Author's Note:**

> hey lads, we're just gonna do a sexy little explanation of what this is :)
> 
> three valid people (heehee) decided we wanted to write a show to rival all of the other Bad theatre kid representation, and also we wanted to write about bare and our Feelings, so we wrote this!!!!!
> 
> we hope you enjoy it and please tell us what you think :).

FADE IN:

 

EXT. SHOREDITCH SECONDARY SCHOOL - MORNING

 

 _“My Generation” by The Who_ plays over shots of a school in a colourful, bustling city in the UK. Students hurry around the grounds, bumping into each other, talking quickly and loudly.

 

Shots of the stereotypical cliques - football players, wearing cat themed sports memorabilia, edgy kids, nerds - and groups of people with no distinguishable features. An average school full of average people doing average things.

 

JAMES [V.O.]  
They say that all the world’s a stage, and the men and women merely players. Well, they’re right. Everyone in this place is just playing a part, waiting for this hellscape to end, and when the curtain comes down… who knows what will happen.

 

FADE TO:

 

INT. SHOREDITCH SECONDARY SCHOOL

 

The shots of students continue, now following teachers and signup sheets and classroom doors, all flashing past quickly, the song still playing.

 

JAMES [V.O. Cont’d]  
If it were up to me, everyone would just say what they felt 100% of the time.

 

The crowd parts and we see JAMES COHEN - a dark haired, Middle Eastern teenager with his tie undone and various patches on his blazer, including a star of David with Hebrew text on it, a heart shaped grenade and an X-Men symbol - walking down the middle of the hallway. He turns towards the boys’ bathroom, quickly looks around, and walks in.

 

CUT TO:

 

INT. BOYS BATHROOM, SSS

 

Fade in from a camera view with half battery and such things on the screen as the songs stops. JAMES has a joint in one hand, talking to the cameraperson.

 

JAMES  
…No lies, no games… just truth.

 

He takes a long drag from his joint. Switch back to normal view, revealing another boy, NICK BRAXTON - an Asian boy with spiky pink hair and a weed pin on his blazer - holding the camera in one hand, and a joint in other, filming JAMES, who is standing up, leaning lazily against the sinks, from his perching position on top of them. He lowers the camera and laughs.

 

NICK  
Jimmy, you’re so stoned!

 

JAMES laughs it off, but we can see he genuinely meant what he said. NICK raises the camera again.

 

NICK  
Now tell us about your opinion on Brexit.

 

JAMES  
[deadpan] I don’t know what that word means.

 

Enter a group of guys, the first two, BRYAN - a white boy with a buzzcut and an undone tie - JON - a clone of his friend, but with his hair in greasy curtains - staring down NICK and JAMES as they try to get past them, and a third, JAKE LOVE - another average white boy, wearing a grey leavers hoodie with “LOVE, 2018” written on the back - hanging back, leaning on the door to keep it open.

 

BRYAN  
Are you seriously smoking in the fucking bathroom?

 

NICK blows smoke into his face, making BRYAN grimace.

 

JON  
Mr Hedge’s office is just down the corridor, you can leave or we can get you suspended.

 

BRYAN  
[glaring at JON] Jesus Christ, Jon, are you in year 11 or year 3?

 

JAKE  
[sighing, letting the door close] This is all well and good, but please can I piss now?

 

NICK  
[darting down from the sinks] You can piss on me anytime.

 

JAKE blinks, taken aback, as NICK walks past him, handing him his joint and blowing him a kiss, then he’s out of the door. JAMES follows, putting his joint out on BRYAN’s shoulder and leaving it there, flipping off BRYAN as he shuts the door behind him.

 

BRYAN  
If I have to see one more fucking queer today…

 

JON and JAKE laugh incredulously, JON with mild admiration.

 

CUT TO:

 

INT. CORRIDOR, SSS - SAME TIME

 

 _“Cut To The Feeling” by Carly Rae Jepsen_ plays as NICK and JAMES walk down the corridor, NICK flicking through the photos on his camera and occasionally showing them to JAMES, who is glancing around, his hands in his trouser pockets.

 

They turn a corner, into the reception area, where an androgynous looking blonde twenty-something wearing a graphic tie and brightly coloured trousers - QUENTIN STENBERG - has just entered. JAMES and NICK walk past, NICK hardly noticing them, JAMES now suddenly very interested in the photos.

 

CUT TO:

 

TITLE CARD - THE VALID PROJECT

 

CUT TO:

 

EXT. RECEPTION, SSS - MIDDAY

 

Song still playing. QUENTIN, still standing in the middle of the reception, smiling to themselves, takes a deep breath and picks up a box of stationary and books from the bench beside them. They go through a door into the next corridor until they reach a door with a sign reading “Headmaster” on it.

 

They attempt to open the door holding the box but almost drop it; they put it down and open the door, knocking on it.

 

QUENTIN  
Hi?

 

HEDGE [O.S]  
Take a seat.

 

They smile, shutting the door behind them as the music stops.

 

CUT TO:

 

INT. HEADMASTER’S OFFICE - SAME TIME

 

MR HEDGE - able to be kind of any headteacher archetype - sits in his office chair as QUENTIN nervously fidgets in front of him.

 

HEDGE  
So, you just graduated from…

 

QUENTIN  
Exeter. Theatre and teaching. I want to really make this place’s drama department… something special.

 

HEDGE  
Look… Mx…

 

He glances down at his desk.

 

HEDGE  
Stenberg. This isn’t Dead Poets Society. We don’t have the funds for you to waste time with inspirational nonsense. And trust me, you don’t get paid enough.

 

QUENTIN  
[taken aback] Are there… are there any extracurriculars I could help out with?

 

HEDGE  
[sighing] Every year group in the school does an annual play, and the Year 11s generally start rehearsals around now. The students normally direct it, but I’m sure you’ll be… up to the challenge.

 

QUENTIN  
[standing up, nodding] You won’t regret this, OK?

 

HEDGE nods, raising his eyebrows, as they leave, tripping over themselves slightly and shooting HEDGE finger guns. Once they’ve left, HEDGE takes a bottle of gin from under his desk and takes an uncomfortably long swig as the camera cuts away.

 

CUT TO:

 

INT. CANTEEN, SSS - MIDDAY

 

ESTHER MONTNER - a short, angry girl who’s blazer is covered in political badges  - stands on a chair, shouting into a megaphone as students move around her, ignoring her, making their own noise.

 

ESTHER  
And how fucked up is it that shelter, that should be a human right, is seen as a commodity that people can only own if they have enough money?! The housing market _is_ the housing crisis, and--

 

A random boy sitting at a table near her leans out and kicks the chair, making her lose her balance and fall off, landing on the floor. Some of the students chuckle at her.

 

ESTHER  
[to herself] Wanker.

 

GIRL [O.S.]  
Oh my God, are you okay?

 

The camera pans up - from ESTHER’s perspective - to see a beautiful girl wearing a school PE jacket, her curly hair in a high ponytail - SANDY NEUMAN - bathed in warm light.

 

ESTHER  
Uh… yeah?

 

SANDY helps her up.

 

SANDY  
Good. [pause] I’m Sandy.

 

ESTHER  
I know. Esther.

 

SANDY  
I-- I know. I think you make some good points, actually.

 

ESTHER instantly perks up, it’s obvious no one has ever said this to her before.

 

ESTHER  
[not noticing SANDY losing interest] You really think so? Because, in our current political state, it’s more important than ever that young people get involved with politics, you know? And people always insist--

 

TARA [O.S.]  
Sandy, come on!

 

SANDY nods at ESTHER with a polite smile and runs away, ESTHER staring longingly after her. She sits down at a table that has just emptied and sighs. A ginger haired boy wearing large headphones and an oversized uniform - ALISTAIR FLETCHER - jumps into the seat next to her.

 

ESTHER  
[still half staring] Hey…

 

She shakes her head and turns around, smiling at ALISTAIR.

 

ALISTAIR  
Hey. What’s the news on the soapbox today?

 

ESTHER  
Housing market. Have you eaten today?

 

ALISTAIR  
I’m protesting the rising lunch prices.

 

ESTHER  
You better fucking eat, Al.

 

ALISTAIR  
And be a capitalist? No thank you!

 

ESTHER groans as ALISTAIR nervously laughs and taps the beat to his music on the table.

 

CUT TO:

 

EXT. SCHOOL AUDITORIUM - AFTERNOON

 

QUENTIN is putting posters advertising auditions for ‘Our Town’, as piano music is heard from one of the practise rooms nearby.

 

ESTHER [O.S.]  
Excuse me?

 

QUENTIN turns around and smiles at ESTHER.

 

QUENTIN  
How can I help you, young person?

 

ESTHER  
I couldn’t help but notice that you’re taking over the director role for the year 11 play. That’s… usually my job.

 

She awkwardly laughs. QUENTIN stares at her, trying to find the right words.

 

QUENTIN  
Uh… okay?

 

ESTHER  
So, Our Town, huh? Interesting!

 

QUENTIN  
Well, this is the first play that came up when I googled ‘secondary school plays’, so…

 

ESTHER’s jaw drops.

 

QUENTIN  
I’m joking.

 

They look awkwardly to the side, showing that they were not, in fact, joking.

 

ESTHER  
Well, if you need an assistant director… I’m sure someone would be interested.

 

QUENTIN  
Thank… you?

 

ESTHER  
But, take my advice… no sane person would audition for Our Town. It’s so overdone, it makes Phantom of the Opera look like a cult classic. Have a nice day!

 

She walks off as QUENTIN stares at her in confusion.

 

QUENTIN  
The fuck was that?

 

CUT TO:

 

INT. MUSIC CLASSROOM - AFTERNOON

 

QUENTIN’s last class of the day, containing JAMES, NICK, ALISTAIR, ESTHER, and a good few new faces.

 

JAMES and NICK are goofing off in the corner, and ALISTAIR and ESTHER are sitting at the front with their books already open, ALISTAIR with his headphones still on.

 

QUENTIN  
Alright! Welcome… back to Music GCSE, I’m Mx Stenberg, pronouns they and them, and I am Mr Miranda’s replacement - after he got picked up by that record label. Well… what instruments do you guys play?

 

We see the class from their point of view, their eyes scanning the students and landing on NICK who is laughing and chatting with JAMES in the corner.

 

QUENTIN  
You. Pink hair.

 

NICK and JAMES both look up, JAMES raising his eyebrows.

 

NICK  
Me? Oh, I do a _killer_ kazoo solo.

 

JAMES  
He really does.

 

The class laugh, QUENTIN joining on as they turn to ALISTAIR.

 

QUENTIN  
Funny. Alright, with the headphones, what do you play? Could you maybe… take those off, by the way?

 

ALISTAIR  
Um…

 

QUENTIN stares at him, and then refers to a post it note on their desk - ‘If there’s a kid wearing headphones, leave her be. She’s autistic and happy enough on her own.’ They look back up to see ESTHER now has her hand up.

 

QUENTIN  
[relieved] A volunteer, great!

 

ESTHER  
Yeah. I mostly sing in this class, but I guess I play a little cello?

 

ALISTAIR  
A little cello’s called a violin, you mean you play some cello.

 

QUENTIN  
Do we have any violinists in the room?

 

The door bursts open, revealing LEXI JONES - an Asian girl casually leaning against the doorframe, a violin case leant against her leg, wearing a long-sleeved black undershirt under her short-sleeved school shirt, equations and pentagrams drawn on her tie.

 

LEXI  
New teacher! Hello! I play violin. And piano. And percussion and a bit of guitar. Sorry, I was… studying for maths.

 

QUENTIN  
It’s fine, just take a seat.

 

LEXI shoots them a thumbs up as she sits down, next to a blonde girl who we’ll meet later, and in front of JAMES and NICK.

 

JAMES [whispering to NICK]  
She can study for maths, we’ll study for meth.

 

NICK and JAMES chuckle and high five, the blonde girl glaring at them, and LEXI flipping them off.

 

QUENTIN  
Violinists… check. Cool. [with sudden realisation] Does anyone here…  does anyone here, um, sing?

 

NICK raises his hand again, frantically. The blonde girl, whose uniform is immaculate - LIZ TUDOR - also raises her hand.

 

QUENTIN  
Okay, then… [to LIZ] You! Um, what have you been practising recently?

 

LIZ  
[overjoyed to be noticed] Would you like to hear?

 

QUENTIN  
Oh! OK?

 

The student body sighs as LIZ, smiling to hide her terror, walks up to the front of the class. LEXI grimaces and bites her lip. LIZ sits down at the keyboard and turns to QUENTIN.

 

QUENTIN  
And your name is--

 

LIZ  
[quickly] Elizabeth Diana Adrienne Tudor! Elizabeth for short. [quietly] Why did I say that?

 

She takes a deep breath and starts to play the keyboard.

 

LIZ  
[off-key] _Tonight, tonight_  
_It all began tonight  
__I saw you and the world went away_

 

The camera starts to pan across the students’ horrified faces.

 

NICK [whispers to JAMES]  
Majestic. She sounds like a cat being born _and_ dying at the same time.

 

JAMES [whispers to NICK]  
Don’t be a dick.

 

LIZ  
_Tonight, tonight_  
_There's only you tonight  
__What you are, what you do, what you say_

 

ESTHER [mutters to ALISTAIR]  
Someone get her a Marni Nixon, Jesus Christ…

 

ALISTAIR [mutters to ESTHER]  
I don’t think even she could save this.

 

LIZ  
_Today, all day--_

 

QUENTIN  
Stop!

 

LIZ stops singing, heartbroken.

 

QUENTIN  
Very… well played, you’re a talented pianoist.

 

LIZ  
Pianist.

 

QUENTIN  
That is very inappropriate!

 

NICK begins to wheeze.

 

NICK  
Jimmy! Jimmy, you get it, it’s like… [going quieter with laughter] It’s like a penis…

 

JAMES stares at NICK, mortified. He slides down in his seat, glaring daggers at him.

 

LIZ gets up from the piano and moves back to her seat, staring sadly at her feet. LEXI gently pats her back.

 

QUENTIN  
Alright, so--

 

ESTHER raises her hand, and ALISTAIR removes his headphones to listen to her.

 

QUENTIN  
[sigh] Yes?

 

ESTHER  
Mx Stenberg, if you’re _so_ interested in music, why don’t you do a good musical instead of an overdone play?

 

The computer lights up behind QUENTIN, indicating they have an idea.

 

QUENTIN  
Of course! Uh, go do… work shit - I mean stuff! And I will work on the play.

 

ESTHER  
But what about class?

 

QUENTIN  
Just… We have computers in this class, right? Congrats.

 

QUENTIN types “secondary school musicals” into their search bar, and scrolls down a bit. Finding nothing, they sigh in exasperation.

 

Most of the students are chatting around the computers. ESTHER’s writing her next big lunchtime speech, and ALISTAIR is listening to his music, unknowingly singing along quietly.

 

ALISTAIR  
[low] _Ivy’s birthday’s in a week, I wanna get her something mad._ _  
_ [high] _How ‘bout a pair of faker bleep? A re-dac-ted she doesn’t have?_

 

QUENTIN  
Excuse me?

 

ALISTAIR throws his headphones off and looks wide-eyes at QUENTIN, like a rabbit in headlights.

 

QUENTIN  
I’m not gonna give you detention. I’m a cool teacher!

 

ALISTAIR laughs nervously, and QUENTIN drops the act.

 

QUENTIN  
That sounded very… musical theatre. What’s it from?

 

ALISTAIR  
Bare A Pop Opera, of course! Not the 2012 revival, that was horrible, I mean, the changes were frankly horrific, literally just-- Makes me want to die. The pop opera originally came out in 2000, premiering in Los Angeles, it was good, but the necessary changes were made and then it eventually went off-Broadway by 2004 - with Michael Arden and Jenna Leigh Green, and--

 

ESTHER  
Michael Arden. A legend.

 

ALISTAIR  
Yeah, of course.

 

The two launch into an animated discussion about the character of Nadia McConnell, clearly happy in their own little world.

 

QUENTIN searches ‘Bare: A Pop Opera’ and begins to read about it, clearly enjoying it.

  
QUENTIN  
That’s the bitch…

 

FADE TO:

 

INT. SCHOOL HALLWAY - MORNING

 

It’s a new week at SSS, and we see yet more footage of the crowds bustling about, before landing on a poster advertising auditions for Bare A Pop Opera

 

ALISTAIR walks past the poster. He stops. He walks back. He sees it. He starts to flap his hands and jump up and down, making a high pitched humming noise.

 

ESTHER  
You okay, Al?

 

ALISTAIR squeals and does aggressive jazz hands towards the poster. ESTHER gasps.

 

ESTHER  
Holy fuck!

 

ALISTAIR  
Do you know what this means, Esther?! Do you?!

 

ESTHER  
I can finally direct the musical of my dreams. And in my final year of secondary school!

 

ALISTAIR  
Exactly! It’s gay rights! Literal gay rights!

 

ESTHER  
Yes! Well, you know I’m going?

 

ALISTAIR nods excitedly, and they start to walk away, ESTHER turning back to wave as a group of three girls approach the sign: LEXI, and two new characters, JORDAN TAN - a very tired looking, tall Southeast Asian girl who doesn’t seem to know how to not look ominous, wearing trousers with a three quarter length shirt - and WREN WALKER - perky but shy, avoids making eye contact with people in the corridor, seems very interested in the poster, wearing a skirt and a fluffy coat.

 

ESTHER  
Hi, Lexi.

 

LEXI  
Hey, babe.

 

We focus on LEXI, JORDAN and WREN as they lean against the wall, casually reading the sign. LEXI takes out a pocket mirror and an eyeliner pencil and starts re-applying her eyeliner, stopping to look at WREN when she becomes very interested in the poster.

 

LEXI  
Thoughts?

 

WREN  
Oh… um… probably just for Drama GCSE kids.

 

LEXI  
I do Drama. And you should have.

 

JORDAN  
Also… it literally says for all year 11s. You should try it out, Wren. You have a really pretty voice.

 

WREN  
I’m not sure if I have the time, with exams and all. It might look good on a uni application, but…

 

Suddenly, LIZ appears behind them, clutching a folder full of loose papers to her chest.

 

LIZ  
Wren, did you say uni application? Because I totally think that the play would be a great way to get accepted - especially with all of my extracurriculars. Sorry, our extracurriculars. You know, like science club, chess club, student council--

 

LEXI  
Slow down, babe, you’ll break the sound barrier.

 

They all laugh, and we see LIZ calm down, clearly letting down her guard around the people she trusts.

 

LIZ  
Do you guys want to audition with me?

 

LEXI  
Sure, it’ll be a laugh.

 

JORDAN  
Yeah, no. I’m already doing like a thousand things. I don’t do drama anyway, let alone singing. Sorry.

 

WREN  
Yeah…

 

LIZ  
Jordan! Come on! I don’t want to do this on my own…

 

LEXI  
I literally just said I’d do it?

 

LIZ  
[ignoring her] Jordan, you’re an amazing singer. I know your voice isn’t trained, but you could be amazing. Please… I am begging you.  

 

JORDAN  
I don’t know, Liz…

 

LEXI  
Just give in, babe, there’s no point in fighting her. You of all people know that.

 

JORDAN  
The fuck is that supposed to mean?

 

WREN  
There is nothing to be gained by pretending you don’t know, Jordan.

 

LIZ  
Please…

 

JORDAN  
Fine!

 

LIZ hugs JORDAN tightly.

 

JORDAN  
Liz… My lungs. Please.

 

LIZ pulls away from her.

 

LIZ  
Thank you, thank you! [squeaking] Yay! Guys, this is going to be so fun. Do you want audition tips?

 

JORDAN  
How bad can it be?

 

CUT TO:

 

INT. SCHOOL HALL - AFTERNOON, TWO WEEKS LATER

 

We focus on QUENTIN, who is standing on the stage, surveying an unseen group of people.

 

QUENTIN  
[to themselves] This is so, so bad.

 

There are six people in the audience waiting to audition - JORDAN, WREN, LEXI, LIZ, ESTHER and ALISTAIR. The latter three plus WREN checking lyrics and practising songs in their heads, and the others just looking around, hoping for more people to join them.

 

At the back of the auditorium, there is a cloud of smoke.

 

Pan down to NICK - with his vape pen - and JAMES, who looks like he wants to die.

 

NICK  
…And _that’s_ what capitalism is all about.

 

JAMES  
I don’t think you know what capitalism is.

 

Pan back to QUENTIN.

 

QUENTIN  
Afternoon. Um, who wants to go first?

 

Everyone immediately looks away, none of them wanting to go first.

 

QUENTIN looks like they want to die, so JAMES speaks up, trying to divert the attention away from their failure.

 

JAMES  
Is this for that, uh… play… thing? Bare: A Pop Opera?

 

NICK  
Dude, there’s a play about bears?

 

JAMES  
More like twinks, to be fair.

 

QUENTIN  
Okay, I’ll put your names in a hat, and whoever gets pulled out first will go first.

 

ESTHER  
Well, there’s obviously not enough people to do it. Unless we’re going to do it with no ensemble and no adult characters. It's GCSE year, most year 11s are too busy for a show. That’s without mentioning how shit your advertising was.

 

QUENTIN  
[having reached breaking point] Well, if you’re so all-knowing about it, why don’t you audition first, hm?

 

ESTHER glares at QUENTIN, trying to stare them down, and holds the eye contact as she gets up and walks onto the stage.

 

ESTHER  
Don’t worry about getting more people interested, by the way. I’ll deal with it.

 

QUENTIN  
You’re, like, twelve.

 

ESTHER  
And you’re, like, fresh out of Uni. Calm down.

 

QUENTIN smiles sarcastically and jumps off the stage, taking their seat in the middle of the audience area, near NICK and JAMES. As ESTHER prepares to sing, they get out a notebook and pen, and eavesdrop on a conversation between the two boys.

 

NICK  
Hey, why don’t we audition? Charity work, you know?

 

JAMES  
Um… Do we have the time?

 

NICK  
You know we have the time, let’s get good seats!

 

NICK puts his vape pen behind his ear and drags JAMES to the front of the auditorium. They sit down just as ESTHER starts to sing.

 

ESTHER  
_I went to school with a girl  
_ _I remember her well  
_ _She was pretty smart  
_ _And pretty as hell  
_ _Her folks had a farm  
_ _But she wouldn't stay of course  
_ _She wanted Prince Charming  
_ _So she went to L.A. of course  
_ _Managed to seduce a  
_ _Famous actor or producer  
_ _Shacked up in a house in the hills  
_ _With a cat and a juicer  
_ _And a fancy car and a tennis court  
_ _But the guy wasn't quite the catch she thought she'd caught  
_ _He treats her like trash and then  
_ _You know the drill  
_ _Takes his cat and his cash and  
_ _Finds some younger girl  
_ _So she's left with this stupid Corvette  
_ _And an empty swimming pool which she fills with regret  
_ _Smart girl, but kind of dumb  
_ _And I'd rather be lonely than sit on my fanny  
_ _Waiting for some prince to come  
_ _One day, some day  
_ _He'll come sweeping in and sweep me off my feet  
_ _And spend the next four decades wanting to cheat on me  
_ _Getting less handsome  
_ _And fighting his dragons_

 

The piano notes descend, and then change to a Mozart style melody, as LIZ sits on stage, playing the piano.

 

LIZ  
_Mozart was crazy  
_ _Flat freaking crazy  
_ _Insane, I hear  
_ _But his music's not crazy  
_ _It's balanced, it's nimble  
_ _It's crystalline clear  
_ _There's harmony, logic  
_ _You listen to these  
_ _You don't hear his doubts  
_ _Or his debts or disease  
_ _You scan through the score  
_ _And put fingers on keys  
_ _And you play  
_ _And everything else goes away  
_ _Everything else goes away  
_ _Everything else goes away…_

 

The piano changes, turning more soft, as we see JORDAN on stage.

 

JORDAN  
_Oh, mirror in the sky  
_ _What is love?  
_ _Can the child within my heart rise above?  
_ _Can I sail through the changing ocean tides?  
_ _Can I handle the seasons of my life?  
_ _Hmmmm  
_ _Well, I've been afraid of changing  
_ _'Cause I've built my life around you  
_ _But time makes you bolder  
_ _Even children get older  
_ _I'm getting older too_

 

WREN is now standing on a stage, a more music box style melody playing.

 

WREN  
_Dancing bears, painted wings  
_ _Things I almost remember  
_ _And a song someone sings  
_ _Once upon a December  
_ _Someone holds me safe and warm  
_ _Horses prance through a silver storm  
_ _Figures dancing gracefully  
_ _Across my memory_

 

As the song crescendos, it transitions into a more jaunty tune as we see LEXI on stage.

 

LEXI  
_I'm breaking down  
_ _I'm breaking down  
_ _My life is shitty  
_ _And my kid seems like an idiot to me  
_ _I mean that's sick  
_ _I mean he's great  
_ _It's me who is the matter  
_ _Talking madder  
_ _Than the maddest hatter  
_ _If I repeat one more word  
_ _I swear I'll lose my brain  
_ _Oh, what else should I explain?  
_ _Oh, yes it's true  
_ _I can cry on cue  
_ _But so can you  
_ _I'm breaking down  
_ _I'm breaking down  
_ _Down, down  
_ _You ask me "Is it fun to cry over nothing?"  
_ _It is, I'm breaking down_

 

The piano gets a lot more intense, as we see ALISTAIR on stage.

 

ALISTAIR  
_So maybe I should be some kind of laundry line  
_ _Hang their things on me  
_ _And I will swing 'em dry  
_ _You just wave in the sun  
_ _Through the afternoon  
_ _And then see  
_ _They come to set you free  
_ _Beneath the rising moon  
_ _'Cause you know  
_ _Spring and summer  
_ _Every other day  
_ _Blue wind gets so lost  
_ _Blowin' through the thick corn  
_ _Through the bales of hay  
_ _Spring and summer every other day  
_ _Blue wind gets so lost  
_ _Blowin' through the thick corn  
_ _Through the bales of hay  
_ _Through the wandering  
_ _Clouds of the dust  
_ _Spring and summer…_

 

He trails off, the song ending as he runs down to his seat.

 

QUENTIN  
[looking up from their notebook] Thanks, Alistair, that was great. Um… Nick? Could you go next?

 

NICK  
[standing up and getting onto the stage] I absolutely could, Mx Stenberg, and may I just say, thank you _so_ much for this opportunity.

 

QUENTIN  
OK, just sing us something.

 

NICK nods, and starts playing a rap beat from his phone. As soon as he starts rapping, ESTHER breaks her pencil on her knee.

 

NICK  
_Yo! His palms are sweaty, knees weak, arms are heavy  
_ _There's vomit on his sweater already: Mom's spaghetti._

 

QUENTIN  
Please stop! We’ve, uh… heard enough. James?

 

Dramatic close up on JAMES as he rises to the stage. A heart beat loudly plays as the footsteps echo. He arrives on the stage.

 

NICK  
[whooping] That’s my best friend! He didn’t cheer for me but that’s fine!

 

LEXI  
I will literally stab you if you don’t shut up, babe.

 

NICK  
Try me, _babe_.

 

JAMES nervously picks up a guitar from beside the piano.

 

ESTHER  
[under her breath, half to ALISTAIR] Why has he never played guitar in music before?

 

JAMES starts to play.

 

JAMES  
_Thought I ran into you down on the street  
_ _Then it turned out to only be a dream  
_ _I made a point to burn all of the photographs  
_ _She went away and then I took a different path_

 

The camera pans across the awestruck faces of his fellow students, NICK smiling proudly.

 

JAMES  
_I remember the face but I can't recall the name  
_ _Now I wonder how whatsername has been_

 

Focus on QUENTIN, who is urgently trying to communicate something to JAMES with their face.

 

JAMES  
_Seems that she disappeared without a trace  
_ _Did she ever marry old what's his face?_

 

He notices QUENTIN’s expression and starts to trail off.

 

JAMES  
_I made a point to burn all of the photographs  
_ _She went away and then I took a different path_

 

It’s obvious he’d been prepared to sing more, but he stops and gives a small bow, getting off the stage as QUENTIN gets back on, already preparing to leave.

 

QUENTIN  
[hurriedly] Well… auditions are over. You kids go home, and I shall go to… not the bar. Good night, don’t die. Well, if you want to, I won’t stop you.

 

QUENTIN leaves, leaving everyone quite confused and the auditorium unlocked.

 

NICK  
They’re my idol.

 

NICK takes his vape pen from behind his ear and starts to smoke, LIZ looking at him in disgust.

 

LIZ  
[standing up] Come on, girls, let’s go. We don’t want to hang around with _this_ crowd.

 

JAMES flips her off as NICK waves pleasantly at her. LIZ rolls her eyes and leaves, WREN smiling apologetically as she follows, JORDAN and LEXI just following. NICK begins to drum the beat to Whatsername on the chair with his vape pen as JAMES begins to play it again. ESTHER, who is sitting with ALISTAIR in the other side of the seating area, stands up.

 

ALISTAIR  
Why don’t we stay for a bit? They seem… nice.

 

ESTHER  
Mm, do they, or are you just gay?

 

ALISTAIR  
Don’t personally attack me! Fine, let’s just go.

 

ESTHER  
Are we still on for Friday?

 

NICK  
What’s Friday?

 

ALISTAIR  
A day in the week, I’m sure you’re familiar.

 

ESTHER  
It’s nothing. Come on.

 

ESTHER and ALISTAIR exit, leaving NICK and JAMES alone, playing their own random tunes that don’t quite fit together, like two odd pieces of a jigsaw.

 

JAMES  
Well, that was something! [pause] So, you wanna do something tonight?

 

NICK  
Family dinner. Sorry, bro.

 

JAMES  
Oh, no problem. I’ll just… go home and… try the High King mod on Skyrim. Imprison children for mocking me, you know? [quietly] If I can get fucking Nexus to work, that is.

 

FADE TO:

 

EXT. SUBURBAN STREET - LATE AFTERNOON

 

JAMES paces outside a house, with closed curtains over bay windows. He looks towards the door, but as a car turns around the corner, he bolts away, down the street as fast as he can.

 

CUT TO:

 

EXT. LESS SUBURBAN STREET - LATE AFTERNOON

 

Breathing hard, JAMES arrives outside an apartment building. He walks into the porch area and buzzes a buzzer.

 

JAMES  
It’s me, I forgot my keys. Let me up.

 

The door unlocks and he goes through.

 

CUT TO:

 

EXT. APARTMENT

 

JAMES arrives outside a door, that is answered by QUENTIN. They talk as he walks in and puts his coat on a hanger.

 

QUENTIN  
What’s up?

 

JAMES  
This dick.

 

QUENTIN  
Mm hmm.

 

They sit down on a sofa in front of a TV, JAMES sitting on an armchair adjacent to it.

 

QUENTIN  
I didn’t know you were auditioning.

 

JAMES  
Neither did I, decided this afternoon.

 

QUENTIN  
Oh, just like that? Anyway, no thanks to you, I got back in time for Would I Lie To You, that’s over now, let’s watch this bare thing.

 

JAMES  
Fuck yeah. I have a really high quality bootleg, let me get it up.

 

QUENTIN chuckles and goes to the kitchen, pulling down two beers as JAMES opens his laptop - the nature of their relationship ambiguous.

 

FADE TO:

 

INT. HALLWAY, SSS

 

QUENTIN walks down the hallway, a sheet of paper in their hand. Another teacher - MS WOODS - walks past them and smiles at them. They awkwardly smile back, and walk quickly on.

 

They pin it up on the noticeboard, LIZ, LEXI, JORDAN, WREN, ESTHER and ALISTAIR standing behind them, watching them excitedly. The second they walk away, the group run to the board, LIZ getting there first.

 

LIZ  
Diane Lee?!

 

ALISTAIR  
Oh, she’s a sweetheart, I love her!

 

LIZ  
I know she is! I’ve seen the show! [passive aggressive] Oh, congrats on Ivy, Jordan. I’m sure you’ll be great!

 

LIZ huffs and storms off.

 

JORDAN  
Which one’s Ivy?

 

ESTHER  
Don’t get me started on Ivy Robin-- Wait. I… I got… Nadia?!

 

WREN  
Who’s Rory? Is that a girl or a boy?

 

ALISTAIR  
Gender is fake, nothing is real. [pause] But… she’s a girl, don’t worry, Wren.

 

LEXI  
Tanya Garrett.

 

ALISTAIR and ESTHER  
That extra bitch.

 

ALISTAIR  
Okay, my turn. My turn!

 

He starts to read the list excitedly, then stops.

 

ALISTAIR  
Oh.

 

ESTHER  
Excuse me?

 

ALISTAIR  
I-- I mean-- This is great! Yeah! Perfect!

 

ESTHER  
Aw, we’re not twins… only in real life. Figuratively.

 

ALISTAIR  
Brother and sister in law though. Peter Simmonds. I mean, that’s just as good as Jason! Better, even! You know, I suit him more…

 

ESTHER  
[resigned] And I wonder who on earth could be your Jason…

 

QUENTIN  
I see you’ve read my casting choices!

 

JAMES and NICK walk past.

 

QUENTIN  
Ah, young Harold!

 

JAMES  
It’s James.

 

NICK  
Don’t be rude, Harold.

 

QUENTIN  
Since I don’t know you well, I forgot!

 

NICK  
Sweet! Who’s Lucas?

 

ALISTAIR  
A bitchass white boy.

 

ESTHER  
Alistair, you are also a bitchass white boy.

 

NICK  
Your skin is blinding me.

 

ALISTAIR  
Hey!

 

JAMES  
Hey, which one is Jason?

 

ALISTAIR  
Jesus Christ, this show is totally fucked.

 

ESTHER  
And not in the fun Spring Awakening way.

 

ESTHER and ALISTAIR walk off, talking about the show, and NICK swaggers off, dancing to nothing as he vapes.

 

JAMES  
Thanks for the part, Q. But… you didn’t like, hand it over to me, right?

 

QUENTIN  
Hey, come on now, you’re really talented. You deserved it.

 

JAMES  
Thanks. Again.

 

QUENTIN  
No problem, kid.

 

QUENTIN shakes his hand, before walking off. JAMES stares at the list for a moment longer.

 

JAMES  
All the world’s a stage, and now I am the main player. [quieter] Now I have to hold the curtains up…

 

_CUT TO END CREDITS AS "Under Pressure" by Queen PLAYS_

 

_CUT TO BLACK_


End file.
